Single adjustment for vertically reciprocating tables



4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 24, 1944. F. F. TONE SINGLE AbJUSTMENT FORVERTICALLY RECIPROGATING TABLES Filed Nov. 14, 1940 .E N REQIW- E m mmwwm V/ M m a w v .Q m Lu Q N 0 j. sw x WE m 41 m m: W am Q. m: HJQN Wm(M24, 1944. I F ,F,TONE v 2,360,910

- SINGLE ADJUSTMENT FOR VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING TABLES Filed Nov. 14,.1940 4 Sheeis-Sheed 2 meme/0r E Ton/5 W9 3 I ATTORNEY F. F. TONE2,360,910

SINGLE ADJUSTMENT FOR VERTIGALLY RECIPROCATING TABLES Oct. 24, 1944.

Filed Nov. 14, 1940 ATTORNEY Oct. 24, 1944. T 2,369,910

SINGLE ADJUSTMENT FOR VERTICALLY RECIPROCATING TABLES Filed Nov'. 14,1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ffiipif/ CA 5 To;

A ORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1944 SINGLE ADJUSTMENT FOR VERTICALLYRECIPROOATIN G TABLES Frederick F. Tone, Baldwin, N. Y., assignor toAmerican Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New JerseyApplication November 14, 1940, Serial No. 365,638

7 Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines, more particularly to theadjustment of the tuckers, folders, heat sealers and delivery beltsthereof. The main object of the invention is to provide mechanism foradjusting tuckers supported on a member which carries the article to bewrapped from one position to a different position, the tuckers servin tofold the wrapping material over the ends of the article on said member.To this end, in the particular embodiments of the invention selected forexemplification, said member comprises a table carrying the tuckers andmovable vertically from one position at which the article is deliveredthereto to a different position at which the article is removed, and thearticle is enfolded and the wrap-ping material is tucked over the endsof the article during the delivery of the latter to the tab-1e.

An important object of the invention is to provide a single tuckeradjusting device operated from another part of the machine for tuckerson lifter tables having bodily vertical movement from one horizontalposition to another horizontal position on a different level. There aretwo general type :of lifter tables, the foregoing type, and the swinginglifter table. The swinging lifter table offers less difiiculty inadjusting the tuckers thereon because it is possible to adjust the samealong the hinge line of the table. Applicants invention has the meritthat it will operate to adjust tuckers in the more difiicult situationwhere there is no hinge line along which an adjustment can be made.

A further object is to adjust tuckers supported on a table of the naturedescribed simultaneously with folders and heat sealers which serve tofold the remaining outstanding flaps into overlapping relation on theends of the articles and heat seal the same together. With these andother objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consistsin certain constructions and combinations hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andin which like characters of reference indicate thesame or like parts:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred construction for simultaneouslyadjusting the tuckers, folders, heat sealers and delivery belts;.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the tucker adjusting mechanism thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side, elevation of the tucker adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 4 15a fragmentary side elevation of a modified form of tuckeradjusting mechanism;

Fig. 5 is zaplan'view of the same;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of still another modified form oftucker adjusting mechanism; and

Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the same viewed from line 1-'l in Fig. 6.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the horizontal lifter table It] is providedwith brackets l 2 carrying pins l4 pivotally mounted in blocks 16sliding between upright bars l8 fastened to the side frames 26 of themachine. To the bottom of the lifter table is fastened a yoke 22 Whichis connected by a link 24 to a lever 26 actuated by a cam (not shown).Thus, the lifter table is periodically raised from a lower level atwhich it receives the article such a a loaf of bread or other object andelevates it to an upper level. The machine may be equipped with a webfeed of the type shown in the patent to L. Ferenci, No. 2,082,945,issued June 8, 1937, which feeds a cut wrapper through a guide (notshown) on table it! until its forward end projects sufiicientlytherefrom to be gripped by oppositely disposed rollers (not shown),while the table is at its upper position, whereby the wrapper is drapedduring the descent of the table across the path of the article deliveredthereto. When the article is advanced upon the table it is enfolded inthe draped wrapper and the tuckers fold the wrapper over the end of thearticle. Then during the ascent of the table said rollers release thewrapper to permit'its forward end to be wiped downwardly over thearticle and the top folders 38 (Fig. l) wipe the top flaps of thewrapper downwardly over the tuckers. The construction of the rollers andthe mechanism for actuating the same to grip and release the wrapper maybe similar to that shown in the above patent. A pusher, not shown, whichmay be similar to that disclosed in the above mentioned patent, advancesthe partially wrapped package on to the plate 32. The folders 3i] aremounted on brackets 34 which also support plow folders 3E and bottomfolders 38 which act to complete the folding of the wrapper ends as thepackages are successively delivered to the plate 32. Beyond the foldersis arranged a stationary table it, and on the brackets 3 there aresupported heat sealers 42 of well known construction which are suitablyheated by electric cartridges thereon, not shown,

to the proper temperature to heat seal the over-- lapped folds on thepackage ends together when Waxed paper, heat scalable Cellophane orother thermoplastic coated materials are used for the wrapping material.The heat sealed packages are pushed by the following packages in betweenvertical. belts -44 which are spaced apart sufiiciently to admit theheat sealed packages and advance them to the delivery position. The belt44 are supported on pulleys 46 carried by brackets 48 fastened to thebracket 34 and their inner runs are backed up by members 50 to engagethe packages with sufficient pressure to advance the packagesthe-rebetween. A horizontal belt I supports the packages between belts44. The construction of the belts 44 and 5I and the mechanism fordriving the same may be similar to that shown in the above mentionedpatent to whichreference may be had for a complete description of thedetails.

A shaft or spindle 52 journaled in the side frames 20 is provided with aright-hand threaded portion 54 threaded into one of the brackets 34 anda left-hand threaded portion 56 threaded into the other bracket 34whereby turning of the crank handle 58 on spindle 52 will adjust theframes 34 with the folders, heat sealers and belts 44 to accommodatevarious lengths of packages. A sprocket 60 on spindle 52 drives asprocket chain 62 running over a sprocket 64 mounted on a stub shaft 66supported in one of the frames 20. Shaft 66 carries a bevel gear 68meshing with a bevel gear 18 fastened on an upright shaft 12. Betweenextensions 14 of bearing bracket 16 fastened to the lifter table I 0 issupported a bevel gear 18 which is splined on shaft 12 and meshes with abevel gear 80 fastened on a shaft 82 supported at one end in bracket 16and at its other end in a bracket 84 which is also secured to the liftertable. Shaft 82 has a right-hand threaded portion 86 threaded into oneof the tucker supporting arms 88 and a left-hand threaded portion 80threaded into the other tucker arm 88. Each of the tucker supportingarms is slidably mounted upon a rod 9| fastened in the bearing brackets16 and 84 and each arm carries a tucker 92. Thus upon turning the crankhandle 58 on spindle 52 the tuckers will be adjusted toward or away fromeach other, simultaneously with the folders, heat sealers and deliverybelts. A sprocket I00 on spindle 52 drives a sprocket chain I02 runningover a sprocket I04 fastened on a spindle I06 which has a right-handthreaded portion I01 threaded into one of the brackets 34 and aleft-hand threaded portion I08 threaded into the other of the brackets34 whereby the spindles 52 and I06 will be turned in unison to adjustthe brackets 34.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the tuckers may be adjusted by a modifiedconstruction shown therein comprising a sprocket chain I62, which may bedriven from an adjusting spindle as in Fig. 1, running over a sprocketI64 fastened to a stub shaft I66 journaled in a bracket I68 provided onone of the side frames of the machine. On a sprocket I16 fastened onshaft I66 is mounted a sprocket chain I12 running over a sprocket I14fastened to pintle I16 at the upper end of an arm I18 which is pivotedon shaft I66 and free to rock thereon. The pin I16 is free to revolve inthe arm I18 and also carries a sprocket I86 fixed thereon and driving asprocket chain I82 trained over a sprocket I84 fastened to theprojecting end of a spindle I86 mounted in bearing brackets I88 fastenedto the lifter table I99. Pin I16 and spindle I86 are connected by a linkI9I and the table may be equipped with a supporting. bracket or yoke I92connected to a cam actuated lever, not shown, and guided for verticalmovement from a lower level to an upper level in the same manner asshownin Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. Spindle I86 has a right-hand threadedportion I95 tucker supporting arm 240.

threaded into one of the tucker supporting arms I96 and a left-handthreaded portion I98 threaded into-the other tucker supporting arm I96,and each of these arms is guided by a rod I99 supported by brackets I88and supports a tucker 200. Accordingly, when the shaft I66 is turned bysprocket chain I62 in the proper direction, the tuckers 280 will bemoved toward or away from each other to accommodate packages of variouslengths.

Referring to Figs. 6 and '1, wherein still another modified form of theinvention is depicted, a sprocket chain 2 I I], which may be driven froman adjusting shaft (not shown), similar to the shaft 52 in Fig. l asdescribed above, runs over a sprocket 2I2 mounted on the stub shaft 2I4supported in a bracket 2; provided on one of the side frames of themachine. To the shaft 2I4 is fastened one of the sections 2I8 of auniversal joint whose other section 220 is provided with an elongatedextension 222 provided with a squared cross-section or other meanspreventing rotation thereof in a tubular extension 224 wherein it has asliding fit. The tubular extension 224 is formed on a section 226 of asecond universal joint whose other section 228 is fastened to a spindle230 mounted in bearing brackets 232 of a lifter table 234 which may beequipped with a supporting bracket or yoke 236 connected to a camactuated lever, not shown, for movement with a package from one level toanother in the manner described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3inclusive. The spindle 230 has a right-hand threaded portion 238threaded into one of the tucker supporting arms 240 and a left-handthreaded portion 2 threaded into the other These tucker supporting armsare slidably mounted on a rod 242 supported by bearing brackets 232 andcarry the tuckers 244. Thus upon turning the shaft 2I4 the tuckers willbe adjusted regardless of the position of the lifter table.

It may be noted that with each of the constructions shown herein thetuckers and other members coacting therewith may be adjusted while thetable is in operation and regardless of the position at which the lattermay be. In the case of the construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it maybe observed that the table I I) is guided for movement in a straightvertical path without any tilting movement which would displace thebevel gear 18 with relation to the upright shaft 12 and interfere withits sliding movement thereon. In the construction shown in Figs. 4 and5, the reciprocation of the lifter table will not produce any rotationof shaft I86 which would change the setting of the tuckers. The same istrue of the construction shown in Figs. 6 and '1.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a member movable from aposition at which it receives an article enfolded in a wrapper to adifferent horizontal position, of a pair of tuckers supported on saidmember for tucking the ends of the wrapper enfolding the articledelivered to said member, and means for relatively adjustins saidtuckers to accommodate articles of various lengths, said means includingbearings rigidly connected to said member a spindle journaledin thebearings supported on said member and having a threaded portion threadedinto one of said tuckers, and mechanism including a shaft mounted on astationary part of the machine, and a device operated by said shaft andconnected to said spindle for turning the same to adjust said tucker atany position of said member, said device including a rigid linkpivotally connected to said spindle and a rigid link pivotally connectedto said shaft, and said rigid links being movably connected to eachother to permit movement of said member from one of said positions tothe other of said positions.

2. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a member movable from ahorizontal position at which it receives an article enfolded in awrapper to a horizontal position at a different level, of a pair oftuckers supported on said member for tucking the ends of the wrapperenfolding the article delivered to said member, and means for relativelyadjusting said tuckers to accommodate articles of various lengths, saidmeans including a shaft having a portion threaded into one of saidtuckers, a link mounted on said shaft, a link pivoted on a stationaryaxis and pivotally connected to the other link, a rotatable memberconcentric with said stationary axis, a rotatable member concentric withand fastened to said shaft, a pair of intermediate rotatable membersconcentric with the pivotal connection of said links, an endless memberrunning over one of said intermediate members and the rotatable memberon said shaft, and an endless member running over the other intermediatemember and the rotatable member on said stationary axis whereby turningof the latter member will turn said shaft to produce relative adjustmentof said tuckers.

3. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a table movable from aposition at which it receives an article enfolded in a wrapper to ahorizontal position at a higher level, of a, pair of tuckers supportedon said member for tucking the ends of the wrapper enfolding the articledelivered to said member, and means for simultaneously adjusting saidtuckers relatively to each other to accommodate articles of variouslengths, said means including bearings rigidly connected to said table,a spindle journaled in the bearings supported on said table and having aright-hand threaded portion threaded into one of said tuckers and aleft-hand threaded portion threaded into the other of said portions, amember pivotally connected to said spindle, a stationary shaft, and aconnecting link pivotally connected to said shaft and having aconnection with said member permitting movement of the latter with saidspindle as said table is raised and lowered.

4. The combination with a member movable from one position at which itreceives an article enfolded in a wrapper to a horizontal position at adifferent level, of means for moving said member along a straightvertical path from article receiving position to said different level, apair of tuckers supported on said member, and mechanism forsimultaneously adjusting said tuckers toward and away from each other toaccommodate articles of various lengths, said mechanism including ashaft supported on said member and having a right-hand threaded portionthreaded into one of said tuckers and a left-hand threaded portionthreaded into the other of said tuckers, a sprocket fastened to saidshaft, a stationary driving sprocket, an arm having a pivot concentricwith said driving sprocket, an intermediate sprocket mounted on saidarm, and sprocket chains connecting said driving and intermediatesprockets and said intermediate sprocket and the sprocket on said shaftwhereby turning of said stationary sprocket will move said tuckerstoward or away from each other.

5. The combination with a member movable from one position at which itreceives an article enfolded in a wrapper to a horizontal position at adifferent level, of means for moving said member from article receivingposition to said different level, a pair of tuckers supported on saidmember, and mechanism for simultaneously adjusting said tuckers towardand away from each other to accommodate articles of various lengths,said mechanism including a spindle having a right-hand threaded portionthreaded into one of said tuckers and a left-hand threaded portionthreaded into the other of said tuckers, a universal joint mounted onsaid spindle, a shaft, a universal joint connected to said shaft, and asliding connection between said universal joints whereby turning of saidshaft will move said tuckers toward or away from each other.

6. The combination with a horizontal member movable from one position atwhich it receives an article enfolded in a wrapper to a horizontalposition at a different level, of means for moving said member along astraight vertical path from article receiving position to said differentlevel, a pair of tuckers supported on said member, and mechanism forsimultaneously adjusting said tuckers toward and away from each other toaccommodate articles of various lengths, said mechanism including aspindle having a right-hand threaded portion threaded into one of saidtuckers and a left-hand threaded portion threaded into the other of saidtuckers, a bevel gear on said spindle, an upright shaft having splinedthereon a bevel gear meshing with the bevel gear on said spindle, andmeans for turning said upright shaft to adjust said tuckers toward andaway from each other.

7. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a table movable to anupper position from a lower position at which it receives an articlepartially enfolded in a wrapper, of a pair of tuckers supported on saidtable and adapted to tuck the end flaps of the wrapper enfolding thearticle delivered to the table, bearings secured to said table, aspindle journaled in said bearings and having a left-hand threadedportion threaded into one of said tuckers and a right-hand threadedportion threaded into the other of said tuckers, whereby turning of saidspindle will simultaneously move said tuckers toward or away from eachother, and means for rotating said spindle to adjust said tuckers towardand away from each other, said means including a rigid member connectedto said spindle, a stationary shaft, a rigid member connected to saidstationary shaft, the rigid member connected to said shaft being movableto permit vertical movement of said table from one of said positions tothe other of said positions, and said members being connected to eachother.

FREDERICK F. TONE.

